Tyler Perry got the Netflix split season treatment, with the final 8 episodes of Beauty in Black’s first season finally landing on the streamer after Part 1’s debut back in October of 2024. Is it worth the binge?
Opening Shot: Picking up where Part 1 left off, Part 2 of Beauty in Black opens at the scene of a crime with a car suspiciously up in flames.
The Gist: Part 2 of the Tyler Perry series focuses on the aftermath of the midseason finale as the Bellarie family copes with the assumed death of son Charles in a car explosion on their privately owned road. Meanwhile, former strippers Kimmie and Angel search for Kimmie’s missing sister.
What Shows Will It Remind You Of? As my colleague Joel Keller noted in his review of Beauty In Black Part 1 last year, this series is reminiscent of the South African series Savage Beauty about a woman that ingratiates herself in a wealthy family.
Our Take: The name Tyler Perry conjures up a lot of things—he’s prolific, he has single handedly increased the visibility of Black stories in media tenfold, and he’s one of Atlanta’s best-known residents. But his name also comes with the expectation of over-the-top dramaticism and a lack of nuance, both of which are unfortunately on display in Beauty in Black.
Episode 9 (the first of Part 2) picks up after the messy finale in which one of the heirs to the Bellarie empire was assumed dead. Through the twists and turns of the plot, we find out that Charles is actually alive, and the dead body is likely that of the stripper Body. But the twists are predictable and only enforce that the lower-class strippers seem to be more expendable than their rich counterparts.
Even Kimmie, who is one of the series main characters, is decidedly one-note and built entirely off of stereotypes. She presents as a caricature that doesn’t elevate the plight of sex workers and working class people, and is drawn to irreversible violence without any nuance backing up her actions.
If you’re familiar with the Tyler Perry formula, then Beauty in Black may be up your alley. But if you were hoping for his writing to rise above the typical tropes it traffics in, this one isn’t for you.
Sex and Skin: Olivia and her younger lover briefly get hot and heavy in bed, but they keep the scene pretty PG. That said, if part 2 is anything like part 1, there will be a good amount of sex and skin in the remaining episodes.
Parting Shot: Kimmie and Angel search for Kimmie’s sister takes an explosive turn when they arrive at Delinda’s house and Kimmie’s anger takes over. After shooting her in the head, Kimmie and Angel flee the scene.
Sleeper Star: Crystle Stewart as Mallory continues to shine, this time committing to the charade of a happy marriage to Roy in the direct aftermath of the news of Charles’ death.
Most Pilot-y Line:: “I missed on purpose,” Olivia says to her only remaining son Roy after a knife she threw in his direction spears the painting behind him. “But you keep fucking with me, I won’t miss again.”
Our Call: SKIP IT. Part 2 of Beauty in Black continues to lack nuance.
Radhika Menon (@menonrad) is a TV-obsessed writer based in Los Angeles. Her work has appeared on Paste Magazine, Teen Vogue, Vulture and more. At any given moment, she can ruminate at length over Friday Night Lights, the University of Michigan, and the perfect slice of pizza. You may call her Rad.